Living Safely With Covid

Lockdown, vaccine decisions 'considered and appropriate' – Royal Commission The Covid-19 Royal Commission has broadly backed the decisions taken during the pandemic, while identifying areas for improvement.

The Covid-19 Royal Commission's second report has been published, I've read (almost) all of it and here are the key takeaways:
newsroom.co.nz/2026/03/10/l...

Study links working while sick to higher risk of future absence

Employees who work while sick have a roughly 30% higher likelihood of later absenteeism than those who don’t.

www.cidrap.umn.edu/p...

6/ In classrooms with clean filtered air, test scores go up and absences go down. The evidence is right in front of us.

2/ Measles, flu, COVID-19, norovirus, MRSA, Aspergillus, TB—most infectious diseases spread through the air we breathe. We just accept everyone gets sick indoors. It doesn't have to be this way.

Long COVID remains a significant health and economic burden, resulting in $170 billion in lost wages in the United States alone.

This underscores the need for more support for patients plus effective research to rapidly develop and distribute treatments for #LongCOVID

Vote for Bailey to be featured on the cover of Muscle & Fitness HERS! True fitness is inclusive. By training in a respirator mask, I hope to demonstrate that access, health & dignity belong to everyone.

Bailey (cleanairathletics on IG) wants to represent maskers on the cover of Muscle and Fitness Hers.

We think masking representation is really important!

To help see both Bailey and masks on the cover, all you need to do is vote here:

mshealthandfit.com/2026/bailey

The surge of HPAI in cattle has had an intersting side effect - way more research, and detections, of influenza D virus.
👉 www.science.org/content/arti...

Interesting fact from Mike Coston’s blog: Today domestic cats are the most commonly reported mammal with highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1 in the U.S., except for dairy cows.

Wastewater
poops.nz

www.phfscience.nz/digital-libr...

So far New Zealand BA.3.2 proportions in wastewater and clinical samples don’t appear to show a significant discrepancy.

www.phfscience.nz/digital-libr...

Why Clean Air in Schools is Important YouTube video by Al Haddrell

This 7-minute video by @ukhadds.bsky.social should inspire every parent & teacher to ask their school board & local govt to track & improve indoor air quality in schools.

Why Clean Air in Schools is Important
youtu.be/CGjcvfTD5SQ

Excellent explainer of how to prevent airborne spread of viruses such as Covid and measles with masks, air purifiers and ventilation

The YouTube link doesn’t work

An airborne virus is a virus that can infect other people through unseen particles in the air, sometimes for hours after the sick person has left the area! Masks and clean, ventilated air can reduce the risk of getting sick from airborne viruses or infecting others.

Yet more evidence that mandated clean air in schools is needed to combat predictable, recurring waves of within-school illness spread.
In New Zealand, individual school BoTs are not equipped or prepared to take this necessary step. It must be mandated and funded by govt.

#nzpol

@greens.org.nz

Our results indicate that extended periods spent in poorly ventilated classrooms may be a stronger driver of within-school transmission than individual contact rates.

COVID-19 vaccines Pharmac is responsible for the management of COVID-19 vaccines. This includes funding, procurement, and supply.

LP.8.1 vaccine availability

From 2 March 2026, the COVID-19 vaccine for people aged 12+ will be updated from JN.1 to Comirnaty LP.8.1. The vaccine for children has already moved to LP.8.1 and the vaccine for infants will change during February.

www.pharmac.govt.nz/medicine-fun...

Low numbers but BA.3.2 / RE.1.1 appears to be expanding geographically. From Auckland to Waikato and more recently Rotorua/Taupo.

The end of summer break + the start of the school year 2026 W5 onwards will give a better indication of trends.

Bird flu antibodies found in cow in the Netherlands, a first outside of U.S. Dead cat led to discovery, but officials stress no further spread of H5N1 has been detected

This first probable case of highly pathogenic avian influenza in a dairy cow in Europe raises two points. First, it suggests that virus incursion is possible in the Dutch housing system, which differs from that in the southern U.S., where cows were first infectted. www.science.org/content/arti...

Preprint: Long COVID, POTS, and LC-POTS are biochemically distinct diseases.

Their differences are encoded in post-translational modifications inside fibrinaloid microclot complexes; not in protein abundance.

🧵 by @resiapretorius.bsky.social
threadreaderapp.com/thread/20063...

Ha! Well spotted.

Hard to understand why mandatory masking isn't standard in hospitals. Wonder if Gore Health has good indoor air systems for ventilation and purifying the air?

Hope they send the tests in for genomic analysis. Keen to see what's circulating...

YES!

@snpoehlm.bsky.social @ryanhisner.bsky.social @siamosolocani.bsky.social @josetteschoenma.bsky.social @mikehoney.bsky.social

New Zealand national wastewater surveillance in the 18 months to 14 December 2025. The yellow at the top of the graph shows the increasing percentage of BA.3.2 with an arrow pointing to the jump in the last fortnight

BA.3.2 now 13.0% in NZ wastewater

"Cicada" is making itself known in New Zealand with a big jump in the last fortnight.

BA.3.2 was below 1% in the fortnight to 30 November, increased to 11.7% week of 7 Dec and is now at 13.0%

Also present:
28% MC.10.2.1
24% PE.1.4
19% NB.1.8.1
16% XFG

Clean air for kids & staff in schools & daycares shouldn’t be controversial

No IAQ policy at any level of govt ensuring indoor air is clean & safe to breathe atm

Petition to Toronto Board of Health to direct TO Public Health to adopt Health🇨🇦's new IAQ Guidance:
bsky.app/profile/mama...

Long Covid's long reach Comment from Victoria University: The easiest way to prevent others contracting Long Covid is to stay home when sick, and for govt to increase paid leave

The easiest way to prevent others contracting Covid is to stay home when sick, and for government to increase paid leave. Also, masks + ventilation and improved indoor air quality.
- Mona Jeffreys

Article includes list of resources
newsroom.co.nz/2025/12/07/l...

2/

Long Covid’s long reach: Long Covid & ME/CFS are post-infectious chronic conditions that can change people’s lives and sense of identity.

"For parents and caregivers, it’s scary seeing a child with such a debilitating condition and with no clear treatment or pathway to recovery." #LongCovidKids
1/

BA.3.2 genomic sample
5 Dec 2025
Auckland, New Zealand

EPI_ISL_202802

At present, there is no evidence of an increased hospitalization rate associated with BA.3.2 cases in Germany.

influenza.rki.de/Wochenberichte…